


Hope For the Future

by Emerian



Series: A is for Apocryphal [2]
Category: Fate/Apocrypha
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Family, Fluff, Gen, Snippets, he/him pronouns for Mordred, no beta we die like men in nanowrimo's throes, the atalante spelling is used
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-01-16 12:23:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,011
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21270986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emerian/pseuds/Emerian
Summary: “Fix this,” Atalante says. “This is entirely the result of your stupid impulses – ““ – hey, hey, Sis, there’s no need to point fingers,” Achilles interrupts before pointing at Spartacus. The Berserker in question isn’t even looking at the others; he’s blankly staring at a vase of flowers. “It’s obviously his fault so why should we blame anyone else?”“You abandoned Mordred to have a one-on-one duel with your teacher.” Karna’s unruffled by Achilles getting into his face, trying to figure out how to grab him by the collar, as he continues, “Atalante, everyone present contributed to leaving Mordred unattended. Perhaps unwillingly for the two of us, but circumstances forced our hand.”"'The two of us?!'" Achilles hollers. "Don't you start with that shit – !"





	Hope For the Future

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sha_Yurigami](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sha_Yurigami/gifts).

> i wrote this in like ten hours so you know the drill.

“What the hell – " Achilles squirms under her sudden grip. He repeats a muffled “What the hell” and her hand tightens. He tries, “What the heck?” after a moment, after Karna doesn’t interfere, after Atalante remains frozen. 

She removes her hand. “Lancer,” she says, voice just as taut as Tauropolos’ string. 

“Archer.” Karna inclines his head respectfully.

She soon finds that she can’t tear her eyes away from the small red and blond bundle in his arms. What exactly did the most stoic Servant in the Red Faction do to be currently taking care of a child – and their Saber-Class Servant no less? But if Karna had a child, then Shirou had to know about it, right? He’s the coordinator from what she remembers and why didn’t he tell her immediately? It must be because of his youth, that’s the only explanation that doesn’t fry her brain and gods damn it – she is obviously the superior choice in child rearing, how could he not know this? 

But Saber could do far worse than look up to Karna. He's not exactly the worst role model for children. He’s incredibly gentle to the point where Atalante wonders if he ever experienced self-preservation instincts and mistook them for something else. She won’t be surprised if he had. Though he’s got enough stern bones in his body to reprimand them at the correct moments. 

She is not envious, it is foolish to loathe someone she grudgingly respects for finding(?) the child first, obviously no person who wants to keep their spine intact would look the other way if they found Saber by himself within a ten-mile radius of Atalante, of course she definitely shouldn’t be feeling annoyed over Karna getting to cuddle with Saber right this instant and she and Achilles just returned from a lazy patrol of Trifas’ outskirts so it’s not like she would’ve been around to find a conveniently lonely Saber and –

“ – where is his Master?” Atalante asks brusquely. Hadn’t Karna fathered over ten children? For his sake, he’d better remember the proper ways to care for a child. 

“Procuring supplies for Saber. He will not be back for some time.” 

“Is that so?”

“Do you think me to be a man who lies whenever it suits him?” 

“Perhaps if it’ll increase the time you have with Saber.” 

Karna blinks. “You need only ask if you’d like to hold him.”

Atalante’s jaw freezes. This isn’t the answer she expected. How does she proceed from here? 

A cute yawn solves her short-lived conundrum. 

They look down. 

Saber is blinking owlishly at the two Greeks, rubbing his eyes, and Atalante holds back all her urges to immediately swipe him up for a hug. What an adorable boy! Though it’s clear that sleep has a good hold on him; he turns and buries his face into Karna’s chest again, curling up against him with a content sigh. Karna would’ve been a dead man walking had he not wrapped his arms around Saber immediately to safeguard their new priority.

“Sis, your tail is all fluffed up,” Achilles states in a far-too serious manner to be anything but teasing from behind her, and she doesn’t have to turn around to know he’s desperately holding in a gale of cackles.

She does her best to ignore the instincts persuading her to stomp on his feet. But they’re presenting a better case with every passing second once Achilles gives into the tempest. It doesn't soothe her ruffled fur that Karna’s somewhat startled at Saber’s decision to ignore Atalante. No, it really doesn’t.

Once Saber resettles completely, Karna gives the two a quick rundown of the circumstances, and by the end, she's ready to go hunt down Shishigou Kairi and shake him by the shoulders, demanding to know why he left this boy alone. 

"Shirou's untrustworthy?" Achilles sighs. He sounds a little too disappointed. Atalante is inclined to feel the same way; he's just a youth, he shouldn't be forced to subterfuge so early, even if this world's brutality forces him to choose survival or scruples. 

"And Assassin isn't?"

"She had it coming. But I wanna hear Saber insult her for myself."

Her nose wrinkles. She doesn’t like the idea of Kairi’s safety, and Saber’s independence by extension, hinging on his continuous contact with this El-Melloi. 

“Rider – I need you to aid Karna in his task,” Atalante says after smoothing over her fur and violent urges. “I will be in the forests. Saber may be hungry when he wakes up and I doubt his Master'll get anything other than clothing." 

"Aw, come on! Can't I go with you?" 

“From what little I had spoken with his Master, I assume he's attentive about children's needs. Is it necessary?"

“It couldn’t hurt to have Saber eat more protein.” Atalante harrumphs. She refuses to rely on a stranger in such a delicate situation. “I do not trust anyone else in our Faction to have basic knowledge of childcare.” she turns to Achilles; he doesn’t look pleased at her request, but he isn’t refusing it just yet. “Well?"

Achilles groans and sighs and hems and haws and all those things. Atalante stares him down as he rubs the back of his head. Eventually he flops down next to Karna and rolls onto his side, in preparation for a nap. 

“You’re not my Master,” he says petulantly. “But since you asked so nicely and there’s nothing better to do, I suppose I can do my childhood hero a favor.” 

“I expect nothing less from Peleus’ boy. Thank you,” Atalante says sincerely and his face lights up. That’s about as much emotion she can endure directed at her so she takes her leave. 

As she seeks out the nearest deer, she tells herself it’s only natural that the sudden energy propelling her through the trees is a result of the new purpose she's found. It is certainly because child-rearing is not a competition. It is a communal effort, everyone eventually does their part in raising the next generation. 

But if it is one...

...

...

...she’d be winning.

Atalante stops dead in her tracks, barely catching herself on the next branch. 

Gods – she just...why. She shakes her head furiously as if it can dispel the thoughts running around inside. Achilles is infecting her.

But the satisfaction of Mordred asking to ride her like a lion around the Hanging Gardens over Achilles showing off his chariot is well worth the embarrassment of being so stubborn about this. 

\- - -

Mordred...is stronger than Achilles anticipated. This wouldn’t be an issue had he’d been arm-wrestling someone more equal to his reputation. To his height. To his age.

They're lying on their stomachs, locked in the honorable combat of arm-wrestling. Kairi's roped into being their referee while Karna observes them from a nearby seat. Unfortunately, Shakespeare also thought it was a great idea to come pester them and it's not like Achilles could get up and bludgeon Shakespeare out of the area with Mordred, flitting around them, muttering unnecessary commentary. That would defeat the purpose of babysitting Mordred and he doesn't feel like getting scolded by Atalante. Even if she's his childhood hero, there's only one person, dead or alive, who can reprimand him and escape with their life intact. As great as Karna is, he wishes Patroclus could've been Lancer of Red. He's better with children because his fuse wouldn't ignite after only five minutes of interaction.

"Gods of Olympus, grant me your mental fortitude," Achilles mutters to himself. _G__rant me the strength to not dropkick this little shit into Yggdmillennia's territory._

"Ha! Praying to your gods already? I don't blame you. As Arthur's heir, I'm prepared to take on any challenge and win!" 

"Was that supposed to be a boast?" Achilles refuses to budge, but Mordred's equal Strength is making it rather difficult. He's been pretending to let it be evenly-matched for the first couple of minutes just so he doesn't have to hear Mordred whine about how he didn't give a fair chance, but it's becoming more real by the second.

“Huuuh?!” Mordred drawls, sporting one of the biggest shit-eating grins Achilles has the dubious honor of seeing in his lifetimes. “Did you seriously just ask if that was a boast? You need me to repeat that louder, old man? That was a fact.”

“Don’t get cocky, brat,” Achilles barks, ignoring Karna’s sharp glance. He’s not at all surprised by the reprimand coming through the mental link a moment later. 

_“I understand your desire to keep your pride intact, but is defeating a mere child truly representative of your heroism?”_

_“It is when my victory’s on the line. Hell, even if Paris shows up as a kid I’d obliterate him all the same! Age doesn’t matter – once you’re standing before me on the battlefield, you’ve forfeited the right to run away.”_

_“Archer will have many things, none pleasant, to say should you, ‘obliterate’ Saber and your hypothetical Paris.”_

_“What she doesn’t know can’t hurt her,”_ Achilles growls back and gives up any pretenses of holding back against Mordred. He slams Mordred's hand against the ground in one fell swoop, and laughs at the curses leaving his mouth, pushing himself up. Atalante's going to have a fit when she hears it for herself. 

Kairi gives Mordred a consolation pat on the head and turns to Shakespeare, almost blanching when he sees the expectant look. Achilles frowns. Shouldn't he have made some stupid comment or be spouting quotes? 

"Why are you here?" he reluctantly asks. 

Shakespeare looks delighted at him for being the first to ask and okay, Achilles will never be patient enough to deal with that. Thank the gods for Karna; he takes over.

"Father Shirou wishes to see you about a possible mission." Shakespeare's wink adds five years to his death. 

Karna raises an eyebrow, glancing at Achilles. As if the damnable playwright came here just to act as a glorified messenger. But since the sight of Mordred still pouting over his loss puts him in a good mood, he’ll watch out for Shakespeare just this once instead of taking off. 

“Just go.” Achilles waves a hand at him and Karna snorts, a quiet noise he’s come to understand as his way of showing amusement. He disappears in a cloud of blue sparks as he presumably travels to Shirou’s location. "Come on, that can't be why you're here. Cut the bullshit already."

“Well, you're no fun...no appreciation for the drama, I see. Ahem. I assume you’ve heard the news about our Berserker’s impromptu departure?” Shakespeare’s coy act surprises no one here and he reluctantly drops it after being faced with Achilles’ irritation, Mordred’s confusion, and Kairi’s wariness. 

“Most people wouldn’t forget how their ally rallied the loose cannon into offing himself early,” Kairi offers when no one else speaks up. 

“Goodness me! Mr. Shishigou, you would think my kind gesture to be a wicked ruse?” Shakespeare chuckles and the only thing stopping Achilles from dragging him all over the Hanging Gardens à la Hector is Atalante’s disappointment. And that thread continues unraveling for every subsequent word. “I was merely acting in the interest of our little knight here. We wouldn’t want to have Saber cultivate his talents at the cost of his youth now, would we? Childhood is a luxury even for the finest Heroic Spirits.”

"So you think you're like the weird uncle of this sorry lot?" 

He is playing a dangerous game and he knows it. At this point, Achilles doesn't care if it's out of some masochistic desire or whatever the hell Shakespeare gets his kicks from, but he is not getting it here. The instant Mordred can't hear Shakespeare anymore, is when Achilles can dropkick him into Semiramis' lap and be her problem without Mordred learning how to dropkick someone. Atalante'll have his heels pierced before he can claim self-defense. 

"I thought that would be obvious," Shakespeare tuts. "As one of Saber's older brothers, shouldn't you also know who his family members are?"

Never mind. Atalante’ll tolerate a scene of unimaginable carnage this one time. He’ll make sure Kairi’s blocking Mordred’s eyes too. There shouldn’t be anyone else imitating his life, whether it’s a falling star or an eternal sun. 

Mordred squints. “What’s he talking about? About Berserker, I mean.” 

“Nothing worth your time,” Kairi says, glowering at Shakespeare’s nonchalant air. “Don’t mind anything else he says, too. Just because he’s a world-class writer doesn’t mean he’s equipped to deal with children.”

“But he’s talking about me!” Mordred protests at the same time Shakespeare squawks, “I’ve had three children, thank you very much!” 

“Children,” Kairi repeats, as if it’ll hit the nail on the head again.

It’s a lost cause. He forces himself upright and stares at Shakespeare, alert eyes. Tilting his head, he does the thing where if reflected properly, his eyes shine brighter, just like a hawk. Maybe Odysseus hadn’t been yanking his chain about it being a useful tool. 

“Scram,” Achilles says. 

Shakespeare scrams. 

\- - -

Assassinating the Ruler is a possibility Jeanne had vaguely pondered, but she hadn’t expected anyone to actually be stupid enough to go through with it. She is the arbitrator of the Great Holy Grail War, equipped with Command Spells for all fourteen Servants and a formidable opponent even if she feels like she’s still the peasant girl from Domrémy sometimes. 

Unluckily for her, Lancer of Red is no ordinary Heroic Spirit. 

Unluckily for him, the blond child clinging to his side is intent on...stopping her assassination. She isn’t sure whether or not she should be insulted. Honestly, even after determining Saber of Red’s True Name to be Mordred in the flesh not as the Knight of Rebellion, but as...Arthur’s heir? It’s bewildering. 

Jeanne shakes her head to rid herself of any lingering confusion. The Grail’s information couldn’t be wrong. 

"Ruler's supposed to be neutral, right?" Even with his armor on, Mordred sizing her up has giggles bubbling up in her stomach. "Even though Lancer tried to take you out?" 

She clears her throat and steadies herself. “I understand that both Factions are vying for the Holy Grail, but attempting to kill its sworn protector is counter-intuitive.” Jeanne frowns. “In any case, I assure you – I will carry out my duty until my last breath. The Grail will not fall into unsavory hands.” 

“Right, that’s what I thought.” Mordred nods to himself and whirls on Karna. “So what the hell possessed you to go kill this chick?!”

“Shirou asked it of me,” Karna says, unfazed. “My Master ordered me to follow his commands.” 

_Shirou?_ This person must be the one behind this, and a potentially controversial figure within the Red Faction, judging from Mordred’s complaints and Karna’s calmness about the situation.

Still, it's utterly strange to watch Karna, the son of the sun god Surya, ask in a gentle voice, “Where is your Master?” The relentless stare he pierced Jeanne with is nowhere to be found. There’s only fondness.

“With Archer and Rider,” Saber huffs. “He’d slow me down so I took off without him.” 

He sighs and plucks Mordred off him effortlessly, kneeling in front of him. Mordred pouts and turns away. 

They forgot her, didn’t they? 

“Do you not have a duty to your retainers as well, to quell their fears and concerns?” Karna asks. “Kairi only wishes to see you safe and happy. Archer or Rider accompanying you wouldn’t have hindered your journey.” 

“Don’t change the subject,” Mordred complains and shuffles, suddenly small. "I'll say I'm sorry if you keep your promise." 

“I will never abandon you intentionally,” Karna says seriously; he really doesn’t sound like he’s humoring her in a condescending way – his character is as noble as the legends say. This answer seems to satisfy Mordred and he throws himself against Karna’s waist, hugging him. Karna smiles, ruffling his hair. And that has nothing to do with the way Laeticia’s calling him a silver-haired dreamboat. Whatever that is, it’s not important; Jeanne has her duties to carry out. 

She’s almost thankful for Siegfried’s arrival, redirecting Karna’s attention to the Great Holy Grail War, the purpose for which she is to arbitrate over, not some admittedly cute father-son-like bonding. Laeticia’s cooing over them as the two continue talking without regard for the woman Karna’s ordered to assassinate before them. 

When she finds the remains of her suitcase, she is less so thankful. 

\- - -

“Master.”

“Assassin.” 

Semiramis refrains from drumming her fingers on the armrest. She hadn’t any urges to do so after she became better acquainted with the true seat of power after taking it from Ninus.

“Be honest with me. Did you imagine the plan turning out like this at all?" 

"Not really, no. There is a bright side to this, though."

“And what, pray tell, is it?” 

“Caster isn't responsible for this?" she stares at him and he shrugs helplessly back. "If he was a part of this, then I think we'd be seeing more chaos, right?" 

"That is not a bright side. That is like saying you're thankful you only lost nineteen soldiers instead of the twenty you started out with. I understand you were limited to peasant forces in war, but as an empress, I had armies at my beck and – "

Achilles and Karna go flying right past her. It's a mystery how they didn't hit her and Shirou, but it's not like that matters now, because several horrifying urges are born in-between Achilles breaking a pillar where Karna throws him and they won't live long enough to regret it. Crack her knuckles like a delinquent. Carve finger-shapes gouges into her throne. Drop the Bašmu swimming above them. It’s when Achilles looks like he’s about to summon his chariot right in the middle of her goddamn hall and Karna about to conjure fire, Semiramis immediately stands up and glares at Mordred. 

“Enough of this!” she shouts. “For your sake, I hope there’s a method to your madness that doesn’t rely on vandalizing the Hanging Gardens.”

"What?" he asks grumpily, in-between the meat he's been working on. "It's none of your business. Why don't you and Shirou just go scheme somewhere else?"

"It is my business when these ingrates are destroying my throne room! What could you possibly gain from this?" 

“Entertainment, Your Majesty,” Achilles' sneer greets her when she whips around to face him. “Didn’t you demand our presence?”

"If I wanted to be entertained by you, I'd ask you to be my slave. Wouldn't that be a pleasant sight? The great Achilles, kneeling for a monarch." 

Achilles' mood evaporates and a furious storm replaces it, raging gold. Karna separates from him immediately and places himself between Mordred and Kairi. Atalante narrows her eyes, hands twitching, as if she's handling an arrow. Semiramis smirks, and it won't be an issue if she drags him around the Hanging Gardens like that prince he killed for only a few minutes. Nothing that can't be healed with some extra mana. 

"You can't!" Mordred snaps and the atmosphere dissipates slowly. "He's _my _retainer."

"Ally." Achilles snorts and turns away, hands on his hips. But he breathes in and out. How telling. 

"Ally," Mordred repeats. "So back off, you old hag." 

_"Assassin, you can fight them after we secure the Grail," _ Shirou urges. 

"Isn't Caster the one you should be angry at right now?" Kairi chimes in. The man must be feeling brave with Achilles and Karna on his side. How arrogant of him to assume Semiramis would lose to her fellow demigods in her fortress. "If he got his ass over here by now, then Rider and Lancer wouldn't be acting on that idea of determining who's the better retainer." he meaningfully pokes Mordred with a foot but his Servant doesn't even care. 

"That is true," Shirou remarks. 

She forces her hands to go slack and smooths her face into a more elegant way of conveying she wants nothing more than to poison Mordred with all kinds of toxins. 

"This is not over," Semiramis snarls and collapses back into her throne. 

"Sure." Achilles' smirk erases the little satisfaction she cultivated in regaining herself before yielding her temper's destruction first. 

“...my dear Rider, once there is no need for allies, I will rain down every manner of punishment upon you,” Semiramis starts slowly, “until you realize the stupidity of calling upon your Noble Phantasm inside my palace is the first apology – "

“ – like you’d really do it, you stink-bug woman."

Shirou recognizes the warning signs of her snapping before anyone else. He reaches out to her. “Assassin, wait – !” 

\- - -

She casts a frosty scan over all the adults present – or the adult-shaped ones, gods know Achilles hasn’t an ounce of maturity in him outside of battle and Astolfo wasn't directly involved, a mere bystander – Karna, Jeanne, Achilles, Chiron, and reluctantly, Spartacus. 

“Fix this,” Atalante says, addressing them all but Kairi. He isn't involved because he is now officially her favorite person other than Mordred. “This is entirely the result of your stupid impulses – “

“ – hey, hey, Sis, there’s no need to point fingers,” Achilles interrupts before pointing at Spartacus. The Berserker in question isn’t even looking at the others; he’s blankly staring at a vase of flowers. “It’s obviously his fault so why should we blame anyone else?”

“You abandoned Mordred to have a one-on-one duel with your teacher.” Karna’s unruffled by Achilles getting into his face, trying to figure out how to grab him by the collar, as he continues, “Atalante, everyone present contributed to leaving Mordred unattended. Perhaps unwillingly for the two of us, but circumstances forced our hand.” 

"'The two of us?!'" Achilles hollers. "Don't you start with that shit – !" 

" – we should really get down to business – " Jeanne's patience visibly shatters when Achilles bumps into her, when Karna almost pokes her with his armor, when Chiron chuckles and steadies her. 

" – wow, so many good role models, and yet Saber's really kind of a delinquent," Astolfo mutters to Chiron and eeps at Atalante's sudden glare.

" – if you do not take that back right now, I will – " 

" – let me apologize for him." Chiron makes a placating gesture and shuts up Astolfo before he can say, "There's nothing to be apologetic about!". " – but even if Rider's manners are lacking, he is correct. I know you want to shower Saber of Red in praises but there will come a time when he'll want to be mature, mature enough to hear opinions about himself, belittling, trivial, or admiring." 

...gods damn this Archer. First he shoots down her arrows, second he criticizes her decisions?

"Then I suppose you never got past that stage with Rider of Red?" Achilles still roughing up Karna one-sidedly behind her is proving her point with every passing second that Chiron's smile remains frozen in place. 

"How about we let Saber decide for himself?" Kairi offers, and goes unheeded. 

"I'm sure you've done an excellent job of guiding Saber of Red, so if we put him against Achilles in a test, then perhaps we can come to an agreement about whether or not Saber of Red is a delinquent?" There's no mistaking the fire in Chiron's eyes for anything other than competitiveness. 

Atalante gnashes her teeth together. "Only if you're prepared for failure – "

“ – excuse me, my lady." a homunculus approaches them without an ounce of fear regarding the increasingly volatile room of Servants. Everyone stops moving. “But where is Saber of Red’s minder? He just demolished the homunculi lab with Berserker of Black." 

To say you could hear a pin drop would be inaccurate because Spartacus beams and manages to make it halfway through his remark of how Mordred is destined for greatness before Atalante and Karna converge on him. Jeanne holds her face in her hands. Astolfo eggs them on. Chiron sighs before diving into the fray for his wayward student, having leapt at the chance to deck Spartacus, but mostly Atalante's defense. 

The homunculus merely makes a note to consider this castle's wing a lost cause before taking her leave. 

In the end, it's Kairi who takes responsibility for cutting Mordred's impulses short. 

**Author's Note:**

> bro this is so late but here’s some team akam fluff! happy birthday sha_yurigami!!!


End file.
